Customer Reviews

Practically Shameless: How Shadow Work Helped Me Find My Voice, My Path, and My Inner Gold

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A beautiful and touching read and a profound reminder of how powerful ShadowWork can be. Bittersweet as I recognised so much of myself (and my struggles)in Alyce and her life experience, it gave me renewed hope that some old, ingrained and painful patterns CAN shift and heal.
Easy to read, follow and understand - no techno mumbo-jumbo, no promises of instant miracles but a personal testament of how she transformed her life with dedication, perseverence, the right tools and support - and a reminder that it is possible for the rest of us.

"Written with simplicity and incredible depth, Alyce takes the very complex concepts of Shadow Work and creates a doorway for both the beginner and the experienced people on the path to knowing themselves. Practically Shameless touched a place in me in a way that I have not touched before, and I have done lots of personal growth work! If you want to take the risk to open up to new possibilities of deepening into your life and widening your horizons, read this book. Your life will be transformed."

Practically Shameless is written by a woman who has experienced great help and healing through a type of "coaching" called Shadow Work. The honesty with which she shares her personal experiences took incredible courage. By taking me with her on that journey, through reading her book, I have begun to understand Shadow Work and a different way of dealing with past issues and injuries which has given me new hope; validated my own experiences and struggles; and also provided wonderful common ground to discuss things that were stirred up as I discussed this book and the information I learned about Shadow Work with friends who also find the book helpful. Most of all, we have found not just common ground, but hope
for progress.
My life is being changed by Shadow Work. Alyce's book is a wonderful introduction to her experience with Shadow Work, and offers a way to show,
not just tell, how people can find hope for healing in all of this.

This review relates to the audio book. First the caveats: (1) As Alyce makes clear in the book, Shadow Work is brand name for a particular method of personal growth and the certified practitioners who offer it for a fee; (2) The book may be difficult to fully understand or appreciate if one has no experience in self-examination or the 'inner path', (3) While I personally have no stake in Shadow Work, I did attend one of their workshops in 1998 which was completely ethical, safe and professional. It was also very helpful for me.

That said, I found this short book to be a wonderful listening experience. I have been an avid audio book listener for over 25 years, and when I see an author reading their own material I usually brace myself for a difficult listen. I was pleasantly surprised that Alyce has a clear, friendly and authentic reading voice. Listening to her story in her own voice proved to be very touching. My only technical complaint is the occasional transition in the audio, probably associated with the editing/recording process, where her voice is louder, or quieter, and the tone or feeling seems a bit disconnected. This was a temporary experience, and always faded away once I refocused on the content.

And the content is really helpful. I won't go into too much detail, but will say that the Shadow Work method, and how Alyce almost stumbled into it by accident (and is now a practitioner and author) is reflective of experiences many of us can see in ourselves. She is honest and direct about her journey without making herself the center of the story. The center is how each of us can heal painful patterns in our thinking, feeling and behavior if we are willing to "do the work". The project of self realization takes time and effort, and is incremental. Alyce suggests this when she describes her happiness and wholeness today as "most of the time". She also gives due recognition to the ManKind Project and Women Within as 'entry points' for many people into healthy spiritual growth. My life is richer because of this book.

"I was deeply moved by how Alyce portrayed her inner healing journey. For me she shines an insightful light on the most disowned and wounded parts of my own psyche, showing that what I disowned and gave away of myself because of fear and shame actually can be reclaimed. And not only can I reclaim my fractured parts, but they really contain all I need to heal and to live my life as a whole woman."

Whereas self-help books present a method and a few examples of how it works, Alyce Barry presents the examples, in the form of a story, which reveal the method. In Practically Shameless, Alyce boldly describes her own path through personal growth using Shadow Work. Her insight into her life experiences, behavior and emotions brings understanding and healing, allowing her to explore new ways of interacting in the world. She then passes this knowledge on to others who achieve similar growth. This easy-to-read book is a story of life, with all its pain and triumph. At the same time, it introduces Shadow Work as a successful method of healing. Congratulations to Alyce for taming her inner critic and sharing her life in such a beautifully written book.

The book is a practical primer on a proven process that enables participants a fresh lens of their life so they can choose to breakthrough those barriers that have held them captive - in a safe and sacred space.

Alyce's personal approach to her awakening and new found freedom is powerful for someone who is new to Shadow Work or a veteran of the process, alike. The book is meant to be read many times.

Barry Kaplan, New Jersey

This book tells a story of transformation and describes a real, tested process to create transformation in your own life. The open and honest writing was inspiring and brought me to tears many times as I saw the struggle that Alyce went through in her own life and recognized the common struggle we all have with our "inner critic". It was a great read and an important work for everyone looking for personal growth and liberation from old patterns and ideas.

What I love about Alyce's Book is the lead she offers me. I am more able to sit with who I am and the path I have trodden. Her practically shameless honesty in writing this book makes me more aware of the fabric of my own shadow and her courage helps me persist in shining the light on what I have a habit of hiding. This book offers me the possibility of seeing my shadow through the pain of self judgement and finding joy in a deeper self discovery. Alyce's writing shows the quality of spirit that Nietzsche described in his 3 ages of the human spirit as the age of the child. This is finding joy in life and oneself, right now, as is, shadow and light. This is a very personal account goes well with Robert Bly's "A Little Book On The Human Shadow" and "Meeting The Shadow" edited by Connie Zweig and Jeremiah Abrams.

Alyce has created a chance to "get inside" the process of change in a way that shares her struggles, her fears and her shame. When I step out on this journey to make my life work, I want to believe that something good can happen, and my efforts will be worth it. I also want to know I will be safe. Alyce does that for the reader by sharing her experiences. She invites me to see the process and know the effectiveness and safety first.
Alyce reaches out her hand to give me a "hands-up" and I need not "re-do" some of what she has already done.
It is no longer necessary to "drag" old ways of thinking and painful patterns of doing. Alyce shares the result of doing this work and the changes she experienced and once I choose to follow her carefully outlined path, there is room for joy.
What a gift to find the key in such a supportive way.